Last month, Rep. Dave Camp Introduced legislation (H.R. 3865) to Block IRS from finalizing new restrictions on the political activities of 501(c)(4) social welfare non profits.
The House Ways and Means Committee chair wanted more time to investigate the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups and to review potential rule changes.
The White House threatened on Tuesday to veto the proposal, saying in a statement that the bill would keep the Treasury Department and the IRS from clarifying rules that Democrats claim have contributed to the targeting of Tea Party groups.”
“It could prevent the IRS from administering the tax code more effectively and from providing greater clarity to organizations seeking tax-exempt status,” the White House said in a statement of administration policy.
The rules that the White House feels are in such urgent need of clarification have been in place since 1959.
Top Republicans have also called on the IRS commissioner, John Koskinen, to withdraw the rules, saying he could otherwise be seen as under President Obama’s thumb. Koskinen has shown no inclination to do that, and he and the White House have noted that the rules – which have so far sparked more than 76,000 comments – are just the first step in the rulemaking process.
In a conference call with conservative activists Tuesday evening, Washington Attorney Cleta Mitchell, who is representing a number of the conservative groups targeted by the IRS, said they’d like to get the number of comments up to 100,000 by Thursday, Feb. 27, the deadline.
Time is running short. Those wanting to stop the IRS from interjecting itself into the inner workings of every citizens’ group in the country and trampling on their First Amendment rights, can comment on the IRS rule changes, here.
In related news, via PJ Media:
On Tuesday, the House passed Rep. Pete Roskam’s (R-Ill.) Taxpayer Transparency and Efficient Audit Act, which would require the IRS to alert taxpayers when their information is shared with other federal agencies, and the Protecting Taxpayers from Intrusive IRS Requests Act, which bars the IRS from inquiring about a taxpayer’s religious, political or social beliefs.
And via The Washington Times:
House Republicans announced Tuesday that they are recalling Lois G. Lerner, the former IRS employee at the center of the tea party targeting scandal, to testify to Congress next week, saying she has critical information.
Ms. Lerner asserted her right to remain silent to avoid self-incrimination at a hearing last year, but at the time she also proclaimed her innocence. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell E. Issa, California Republican, said she effectively waived her Fifth Amendment rights with that claim and made her open to being compelled to testify.
“Ms. Lerner’s testimony remains critical to the committee’s investigation,” Mr. Issa said in a letter to her attorney, William W. Taylor III. “Documents and testimony obtained by the committee show that she played a significant role in scrutinizing applications for tax exempt status from conservative organizations.”
It’s about time.
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